This is an analysis of the poem Moonlight that begins with:

As a pale phantom with a lamp
Ascends some ruin's haunted stair, ... full text

Elements of the verse: questions and answers

The information we provided is prepared by means of a special computer program. Use the criteria sheet to understand greatest poems or improve your poetry analysis essay.

  • Rhyme scheme: abab cdcd cece bXbX cdcd ebeb fgfgXecec
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 4,4,4,4,4,4,9,
  • Closest metre: iambic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: ballad stanza
  • Metre: 10110001 0111101 11010101 010010001 110011101 10010101 010100101 11010101 01110111 01010001 11010001 01110001 11110111 10010011 01011011 01010101 11111101 01111101 11011101 11100101 01010111 01001001 11010101 11000101 01010111 010101001 10010101 00110101 01110110 110100111 11111101 01011111
  • Amount of stanzas: 8
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 134
  • Average number of words per stanza: 25
  • Amount of lines: 32
  • Average number of symbols per line: 33 (medium-length strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 6
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; of, we are repeated.

If you write a school or university poetry essay, you should Include in your explanation of the poem:

  • summary of Moonlight;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow